


To Penelope

by labeautelivresque



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology, Hellenistic Religion & Lore, The Odyssey - Homer
Genre: (Helen and Telemachus mentioned), F/M, Odysseus loves his wife :'), Poetry, partially inspired by Margaret Atwood's 'The Penelopiad'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-12
Updated: 2017-05-12
Packaged: 2018-10-30 22:14:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10885983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/labeautelivresque/pseuds/labeautelivresque
Summary: "You must have hated her. I don’t blame you, really. Nobody would have gone to war for love of you."Poem inspired by The Odyssey, from Penelope's perspective.





	To Penelope

You hated her, didn’t you?  
Your _perfect_ cousin, running off with that  
_perfect_ prince and ruining your life –  
leaving you alone for twenty years  
while your husband and the Greeks  
spilt Trojan blood in Helen’s name.  
You _must_ have hated her.

I don’t blame you, really.  
~~Nobody~~ would have gone to war for love of you.  
      _ **(**_ oh, _he_ would have _ **)**_

There must have been times when you  
hated him, too – your clever husband.  
You were a child when he left, weren’t you?  
_A year, at most_ , he said, _and I’ll be home._  
It was a lie – he was adept at telling lies –  
but you believed, and the years ticked by,  
and the war continued, and your son grew up.

You grew up, too, and you wept and you waited.  
You wondered if he thought of you, your Odysseus.  
      ** _(_** believe me, he _did **)**_

I wonder, how did you never give up hope?  
The others came home, and you _waited_ still,  
watching the ships on the horizon. The  
suitors came by the dozen, and Telemachus  
searched in vain, and you wove your web,  
and _still_ you waited. His mother died for  
the loss of him, and you lived on.

He roamed ten years before he fell into your arms at last and  
whispered words of love as you kissed the tears from his cheeks.  
      _ **(**_ Penelope, they were the _truest_ words he’d spoken in a decade _ **)**_

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I've also posted this poem to my Tumblr, & if you haven't already done so, a like/reblog there would be most appreciated. You can find the post [here](http://dreamimpcssiblethings.tumblr.com/post/157931923910/you-hated-her-didnt-you-your-perfect-cousin).
> 
> And, of course, a comment is always appreciated! Much love to everyone!


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